This is the ninth blog in the Caregiver Series and discusses the call for a Lung Transplant.
When you are waiting for a certain day to come, it doesn’t appear in the same way that you envision it would happen. As long as it happens, that is all that matters!
The Waiting List
My husband went on the Lung Transplant Waiting List on June 2, 2023 after two years of having Pulmonary Fibrosis and pre-transplant testing. The length of time on the waiting list is an average of 3-4 months. As those months passed, your thinking changes from any day to a date in the future. You know it is coming but you just don’t know when.
There are certain moments in your life that you will always remember, like when you met someone special, your wedding date, and birth of your children and grandchildren. This day will now be included in those special moments.
The Call
At the time, my husband wasn’t going too many places so he was relaxing in our basement. I had gone to a friend’s gender reveal party and returned back home around 5 pm. I had dinner, talked to my mother, and was relaxing on the couch watching TV. before the work week would start.
At 8 pm, I heard the phone ring in the basement and my husband came up the basement stairs which was not unusual. He walked into the room I was in and said, “Turn off the TV.” My first thought was I am watching this show and I am not turning off the TV. Then he said that his lungs are ready and the contact was still on the phone!
I jumped up off the couch to grab some paper and a writing utensil and surprised that I didn’t hurt myself! She explained what we are to bring and where to go at the hospital. She asked how long it would be until we left the house. My husband answered an hour and I remember looking at him and thinking we will be out of here in 30 minutes!
Leaving the House
Previously through pre-transplant visits, the pre-transplant team suggested having a suitcase packed. Through the time on the waiting list, the contents of the suitcase slowly were removed out of the suitcase. The seasons changed so the clothes were pulled out and never replaced. The extra toiletries were pulled out and used during the time on the waiting list. So we have a suitcase and no contents!
I quickly grabbed a tote bag and just threw every type of toiletries in the bag regardless of whether I needed it or not. Battery charges and IPads were thrown in the tote bag in the heat of the moment and I didn’t use any of it!!
Drive to the Hospital
We started on the drive to the hospital in silence at the start. We need to call the kids!!! He called the kids and told them that we are on our way to the hospital!! To listen to the moments of awkward silence from them about the shock of finally getting the call and that it was finally happening was priceless!! We arrived at the hospital and went straight to Admitting and there was no else was in Admitting which made it errie!
He was taken to a patient room to start the prep and the first of many blood draws getting the ready for the surgery. They suggested that I go home and get some rest as the surgery was scheduled for the next day. The fun was getting ready to start!!
Stay tuned for the next blog on the Lung Transplant Surgery!!
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